Christopher Yip has been reappointed as Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering at the University of Toronto for a second term, from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2029. 

Under Dean Yip’s direction and leadership, U of T Engineering continues to build on its reputation as a top-ranked engineering school globally. The Faculty’s strong focus on the impact of engineering solutions in building equitable and sustainable communities worldwide — whether through experiential learning opportunities for students or collaborative research initiatives with partners in industry — has been key to its success on the world stage.  

Central to his commitment to students is the belief that the next generations of engineering leaders should reflect the communities they serve and bring a wide-ranging perspective to their work. To this end, several unique programs have been launched during his first term as Dean, including certificates in Public Policy, Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, as well as a tri-campus minor in Global Leadership.        

As an alumnus himself (ChemE 8T8), Dean Yip understands the importance of nurturing a strong culture of belonging, and he has championed several equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives since his appointment began in 2019.   

In 2020, as the global pandemic took hold, the Faculty launched Blueprint, a program designed to empower Black high school students with an interest in science, technology, engineering and math, as well as the U of T Engineering Academy to help prepare incoming first-year students for engineering studies after a disrupted Grade 12. In 2021, U of T Engineering partnered with five other Ontario engineering schools to create the IBET Momentum Fellowship to expand pathways for Indigenous and Black students pursuing doctoral degrees. At a time when the world was changing rapidly and unpredictably, he led with compassion by creating virtual spaces for students, staff, faculty and the broader alumni community to share their experiences, and he checked in on their well-being, wherever in the world they were.    

Dean Yip also has an established track-record of excellence in building bridges between academia and industry, creating innovative opportunities for U of T Engineering researchers and students while also strengthening Canada’s position in a range of emerging sectors, from sustainable mining to electric vehicles to bioengineering.   

His vision has been a catalyst for driving the future of U of T Engineering, which will be realized in the Faculty’s forthcoming Academic Plan. In April 2023, the Faculty launched its year-long 150th anniversary celebration and its four priorities as part of the broader U of T Defy Gravity Campaign, which include:  

• Creating sustainable and thriving global communities through technologies that meet the climate crisis head-on, such as new ways of harvesting solar power or bio-inspired solutions that reduce energy use in buildings; 
• Promoting healthy societies by finding new ways to diagnose, treat and prevent disease; 
• Designing intelligent machines for good, using expertise in analytics and AI to improve everything from self-driving robots to water distribution systems; and 
• Enhancing the development of the 21st century engineer by promoting a more inclusive profession and enhancing the skills of U of T Engineering graduates.  

“Professor Yip’s leadership, commitment to students, and dedication to the profession will be key to the continued success of the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering in the years ahead,” says Professor Cheryl Regehr, U of T’s Vice-President and Provost. ”His reappointment as Dean is wonderful news for the Faculty.”  

Beyond his role as U of T Engineering’s Dean, Yip is an internationally renowned scholar for his work on molecular imaging. He is a faculty member with the Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry and the Institute of Biomedical Engineering, and he holds cross-appointments to the Donnelly Centre and the Department of Biochemistry in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine.   

He has received numerous honours and awards, including the Premier’s Research Excellence Award, the Faculty of Medicine Graduate Faculty Teaching Award for sustained contributions to excellence in teaching, and a Tier II Canada Research Chair Award in molecular imaging. He is also a fellow of the Engineering Institute of Canada and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.